


Veterinarians Might Fly

by b_ann



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bottom Castiel, Bottom Dean, Explicit Language, F/M, Hand Jobs, M/M, Medical Procedures, Top Castiel, Top Dean, Vet Tech Dean, Veterinarian Castiel, Veterinary Clinic, Wing Kink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-12
Updated: 2015-04-02
Packaged: 2018-03-17 12:54:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3530162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/b_ann/pseuds/b_ann
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Veterinary Technician Dean Winchester was comfortable in his lead role at the veterinary clinic he worked for until a new associate, Dr. Castiel Novak, was hired.  With the doctor's weird personality traits and even stranger after hours activities, Dean isn't sure if the doctor is the best thing to happen, or the worst.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I had a goal of posting a completed short or chapter of a longer fic every Sunday, no more no less, but I'm weak ... And impatient.
> 
> The title Veterinarians Might Fly was taken from a James Harriet story called Vets Might Fly, so that credit goes to him ;)
> 
> Every animal and/or medical case is based on an actual animal and/or case I have personally experienced. You can't make these stories up, people.

Dean Winchester had swore on multiple occasions that working with a bunch of women at a veterinary clinic (which on some days included his younger brother Sam, heh) had no effect on how he acted. No, his "cycle" didn't sync up with the rest of them (however theirs sure as hell did and he was smart enough to bring chocolate and keep his mouth shut when that happened), yes, he still stood when he peed, and if it wasn't a lime, he didn't do fruit in his drinks. However, if any of those people could see him now, piled against the door to Treatment trying to peer through the small window, he would have no foot to stand on. 

“Is that him?” Charlie Bradbury asked, practically leaning over Dean to get a better look. She was small so there wasn't much weight on his shoulder, but the way she dug her elbow into his muscle actually hurt.

Dean turned to give her a dirty look but all he got for his trouble was a mouthful of red hair. She ignored him completely as he brushed her hair out of his face. He turned back to the man getting the full clinic tour by the owner, Dr. Ellen Harvelle, just on the other side of the door, but they both had their backs to them looking at one of the anesthesia machines.

“He’s kind of weird,” Becky Rosen said, trying to keep an ear out in reception but also push her way between Sam’s giant frame and Dean. “I was here when he did his working interview. Very quiet.”

“He’s hot.”

There was a chorus of groans as everyone turned to Meg Masters. She had an innocent expression, well as innocent as she could, the sly smirk almost overriding how young she looked with her dark curly hair pulled back in a ponytail. She shrugged, she was never going to apologize for her behavior. She was always the one they worried about with new employees. It was a wonder how she hadn’t been slapped with a sexual harassment lawsuit already.

Jo Harvelle, yes, as in Dr. Harvelle's daughter, had finally pushed her way passed her coworkers to get a better look and in Meg’s defense, said, “He did place a catheter on his first try. That is kinda hot.”

Dean chuckled. “That’s more than we can say about Pam.”

The swift smack on the back of his head was expected. “That’s why I have you,” Dr. Pamela Barnes said. “Doctors aren’t supposed to be placing catheters, the techs are.”

“What are you guys doing?!”

All seven employees jumped and were suddenly looking for a quick exit. Meg and Dr. Barnes were the only two who actually fled successfully, disappearing into their next exam.

Linda Tran, the clinic's Practice Manager, pursed her lips and despite being the shortest person in the building she seemed to fill the room and every one of her employees were trying very hard to not look her in the eye.

“Becky, reception,” she said pointing toward the lobby, Becky skuttled out of the hallway. “Jo, did you get the lab work out already?”

“Getting it right now,” she mumbled and disappeared through the door they were all spying through.

“Charlie?”

“Charts!” she squeaked and followed Jo. 

"Dean, you're my lead. I expect more from you. Lead." She turned to Sam who was the only one not in scrubs. "And Sam, what are you even doing here? Aren't you off today?"

"Class was canceled ... I didn't have anywhere else to be."

Linda rolled her eyes and turned back to her office. "Well if you're going to stay," she said over her shoulder, "get out of your street clothes and put some scrubs on. We can at least pretend to be professional on Dr. Novak's first day." Her office door shut loudly behind her.

"It's like she knows when we are screwing around," Dean said sulking.

Sam shrugged his shoulders and opened his locker. He pulled the spare set of navy blue scrubs he always kept. "Did you guys do any new cytologies?"

"Yeah. I saved you two masses, a urinalysis, and a butt ton of fecal slides."

"We live a charmed life."

Dean chucked. "That we do."

Dean and Sam went separate ways, Sam to the employee bathroom to change, Dean to Treatment. He entered just in time for the introductions.

"You remember Joanna Beth, my daughter. She's a veterinary assistant and fills in for reception."

Jo paused as she pulled a sample bag from the supply drawer and shot the new doctor a little wave before dropping in the blood samples. "You can call me Jo."

"Charlie," Dr. Harvelle continued motioning to the redhead and then turned to Dean, "and there's Dean, they are our two certified techs. And Meg, wherever the heck she went-"

"I think she's in Dr. Barnes' room," Charlie added helpfully from the tech computer.

"Ah," Dr. Harvelle said rolling her wrist as if Meg’s presence really wasn't required for introductions. "Well Meg has one more semester and she will have her CVT as well."

Charlie turned in her chair and shook the man's hand. He turned to Dean then and he got his first real good look at the doctor. He was hot. Yes, he had messy black hair that looked like it could use a trim, dark circles under his eyes that betrayed fatigue and he was wearing a white doctor coat that was at least one size too big for him, if not two, over a Polo shirt and dark slacks, but his face was symmetrical and he had stunning blue eyes with crows feet at the corners when he shot Dean a small smile.

Dean extended his hand and the doctor shook it firmly. "I hear you can place a catheter."

Dr. Novak glanced at Jo who gave him an encouraging nod. "I was a technician before I went to vet school," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Dean wanted to simply melt into the floor in a pile of goo. His voice sounded rough like he gargled with whiskey and gravel. Meg was so right. This man was Dr. Sexy. Good grief, Dean needed to get laid. This was ridiculous mooning over the new doctor. While fraternizing with coworkers wasn’t prohibited, it was just a big ball of mess that he really didn’t need.

Dean startled when he realized he was still shaking the doctor’s hand like a crazy person. He released his grip and took a small step away from him.

Dr. Harvelle continued like nothing had happened. "Dean's our lead tech, been here since I opened, so he keeps the back running, places the drug orders, makes the staff schedules and double checks everyone's charts. So if you have any questions he's the go to guy."

The treatment door opened and Dr. Harvelle turned her attention to Sam who had just walked in now properly dressed in scrubs. "And this is Sam, Dean's little brother."

"Younger would be a better word," Sam chuckled and shook the doctor's hand quickly.

"He's just gotten accepted to vet school so he'll be leaving us in the fall."

"I'll still be here part time during breaks until junior year when we have to start clinical rotations."

"And he promised to cover for me during Comic Con week," Charlie added.

"As long as you bring me back a Con exclusive Star Wars toy."

"You guys are such geeks," Dr. Harvelle said rolling her eyes. "Well," she turned back to Dr. Novak, "I think Linda needs you for W-12s or 9s or 2s or whatever."

"Way to be on top of things boss," Dean snickered and she hit him in the shoulder as she passed, leading the new doctor out of treatment.

Sam tucked his hair behind his ears and took the cover off the microscope. "So you mentioned shit on glass?"

Jo chuckled, "What?"

Dean grabbed the slides he had been saving for his brother from one of the cupboards and handed them off. "Fecal samples. Because Sam’s a giant geek and thinks it’ll give him a leg up at vet school if he knows stuff and things,” Dean said to Jo who shot him an “ah” look. “Don't say I never did nothin' for you." He left Sam to his slides and reference books to determine what he was seeing and leaned over Charlie at the tech computer.

"You're excused," Charlie scoffed.

He minimized the chart she was typing and opened the hospital day sheet. "So who do we got for the new doctor's first day?"

"Two dentals and a spay and then his appointments this afternoon are blocked every other so he doesn't get too overwhelmed." Charlie pulled the surgery charts from the stand up next to the computer. "Old cat and a three year old lab for dentals, and the spay is that cute Boston that peed on Sam the other day."

"Lucy!" Sam exclaimed looking up from the microscope. "Is she here already?"

"Yeah, Jo checked her in first thing."

Dean couldn't help but roll his eyes at his brother's exuberance as he damn near pranced into ICU, baby talking the puppy as soon as he saw her. He opened the kennel door and she leapt straight into his arms.

"Woah there kid!" Sam pulled her close and let her lick his face. "Just not in the mouth, ok!" But his voice was full of laughter.

"She need blood work?" Dean asked and Charlie looked into the chart.

"Yeah, but the other two we got at their last appointment."

"Ok Sam, bring her here." Dean grabbed sample tubes, a handful of 3cc syringes and an alcohol spray bottle, shoving all but the alcohol and one syringe into his scrub pocket. Lucy, as wiggly as she was, was the perfect size for Sam to just tuck her under his arm and stretch her jaw upwards. Dean didn't even have to get on his knees, just spread his legs apart a little to get down to the correct level.

He held off the jugular vein and drew the blood on the first try. There was nothing better than hitting a good vein on the first try and watching it fill the syringe a beautiful dark red color. He almost always did better when Sam was holding. They just knew each other and could always anticipate what the other needed. He was excited to work with him as a doctor one day.

Dean filled the different tubes and handed them off to Jo to be run.

"Let's place a catheter while we've got her out," Dean said letting her lick his hand.

"Dr. Novak wanted to do his exam before we did that," Jo said.

"Oh," Dean said frowning. There were always differences with new doctors, he knew that. He just hoped it wouldn't put them too far behind. He usually had all the surgery patients prepped before the doctor even got there so they were ready to hit the ground running as soon as they arrived. They would work out the kinks, it was the guy's first day after all.

Just then Dr. Harvelle led Dr. Novak back into Treatment. "Well, I'm going to leave you in the very capable hands of the brothers Winchester. If you need anything I'll be in my office."

Dr. Harvelle disappeared from Treatment leaving a very awkward looking new associate standing in the middle of the room. Dean couldn't tell if he was freaking out or just thinking, so he did what he was paid to do and decided to lead.

"Ok," he said clapping his hands. He grabbed the surgery charts from Charlie. "We've got two dentals, a dog and a cat, both have had their blood work done already," he pulled the print outs and handed them to Novak. "And this little girl's spay and we are running those labs right now." 

The doctor looked up from the labs and smiled briefly at the puppy in Sam's arms who seemed to be enthralled with the doctor, watching his every move.

"So who would you like to get started with?"

He pulled his eyes from the papers in his hands once more. "Your dental cleanings go home same day and ovariohysterectomies stay overnight?"

"Correct."

"I would like to examine the feline dental first, induce and while it's getting its cleaning, examine and induce the dog. Then, while the dog is under we can examine this little one and get her induced when the dog is in recovery."

Dean couldn't help the smile. At least the guy knew how to be efficient and utilize his techs. "I'll induce, Jo, you do the first dental, Charlie the second and I'll do the spay."

"I would actually prefer to do inductions myself."

Dean's smile faltered but he caught it before it could fall completely. Dr. Harvelle had had over a decade of experience working with Dean. He had earned her trust long ago. It was just going to take time for the new doctor to do the same, Dean reminded himself.

With the forced smile firmly in place he clapped his hands again, "Well, let's get this show on the road."

Everyone moved getting started on their tasks and just before Sam went to take the puppy back to her kennel, he squeezed Dean's arm. It was a "it's going to be ok" reassurance and even though it wasn't needed, it was appreciated.

At the computer Charlie asked, "We feeling Zep this morning?"

"Sounds good to me."

The guitar opening of "Whole Lotta Love" poured out of the speakers.

Only a few seconds in Dr. Novak was addressing Charlie, "I would prefer to not listen to music while we work."

Everyone in the room froze and turned to Dean. They always listened to music on surgery days. Always. It forever had been and forever would be.

Dean took a deep, deep breath. That was a deal breaker. He was going to have to talk to the new doctor, but this was not the time nor place. He could get through this morning sans tunes. He nodded at Charlie and she hesitantly turned the music off.

Jo, who looked like she was trying to make herself as unobtrusive as possible, pulled the cat out of her kennel and brought her to the wet table. Jo placed her hand over the cat's chest to feel for a heart and respiration rate, marking the stats on the chart.

"Dean?" Jo asked. "Could you hold while I get the temperature?"

Dean nodded and took hold of the cat's scruff with one hand, his other at the base of her tail, wrists crossed. Jo placed the probe cover over the thermometer and lubed it up. The cat tensed and let out a low growl as Jo carefully inserted the thermometer rectally. He kept his eyes trained on Jo, but he could feel Dr. Novak's presence behind him, a bit too close behind him.

The thermometer beeped and Jo removed it announcing, "One oh one three."

Novak was suddenly right beside Dean, their hips pressed against each other. He first looked in the cats eyes and ears, then felt down her neck, checking her thyroid. He opened her mouth and pressed a finger to her gums measuring the capillary refill time. He then moved to the other side of Dean, his hand gently sliding across the small of Dean's back and ugh he smelled good.

By the time the doctor was running his hands down the cat's body and testing range of motion on her limbs, Dean's right eye was twitching. Never had Dean had so many conflicting emotions at once. He was aroused and pissed off at the same time which made him even more angry. 

And shit Dr. Novak was standing too close.

Then suddenly, the doctor took a step back and no! That's not what Dean wanted.

"Everything looks unremarkable except for her teeth which have a grade three out of four dental tartar. I would recommend a dental cleaning." And oh good lord the man smiled, like really smiled. All teeth and gums and crinkly eyes. Dean was dumbstruck. And he thought the doctor was hot before. Was it possible to hate someone and still want to jump them? 

It was a joke, Dean realized belatedly. Of course he recommended a dental cleaning, that's why the cat was here. By the time Dean got it the doctor's smile had faded and replaced with the blank expression he had donned earlier. "Go ahead and place the catheter." Shit.

Novak took a step back, but he wasn't leaving like Dr. Harvelle or Dr. Barnes would do and just let Dean work. He was hovering and it was really freaking distracting. Then Jo was taking the cat from Dean, allowing him to open the catheter plug and grab the clippers.

Dean pulled the cat's front right leg out in front of her and Jo held off the vein by rolling it slightly with her thumb. Dean felt the vein pool with blood and then shaved about an inch swatch directly over the vein. He put a glove on just his right hand and grabbed the scrub to thoroughly clean the area. He pulled out the catheter and lined it up with the now visible and sterile vein.

Right then Dean felt the doctor behind him, his slacks brushing up against the back of Dean's scrub pants. He tried not to shiver but failed miserably. He took a deep breath and steadied himself. He pushed the needle into the cat's flesh and through the wall of the vein. It was instantaneous the flesh around the vein swelled and bruised. Instead of the needle going in one wall of the vein and nestling along inside to allow easy access for IV drugs, it had gone right in one side and out the other.

"Damnit!" Dean cursed, pulling the catheter back out. Jo was already there with her thumb, holding off the hole Dean had made. He set the catheter back in its wrapper and grabbed the clippers, preparing to shave the other leg as soon as the first one clotted.

"I would prefer you didn't blow both of the legs," Dr. Novak said and his voice came from far too close behind Dean.

Dean could feel the heat rise from his neck and creep up over his face and into his hairline. He didn't take his eyes off of Jo who very deliberately took a deep breath through her nose and let it out through her mouth. It was her way of willing Dean to breath and not freak out. He took two more measured breaths on his own and nodded ever so slightly to Jo and he could tell he had his emotions under control by her face.

As calmly as he could he turned around to face the doctor. "Would you like to place the catheter?"

"Yes." And there was no hesitation.

Dean didn't say a word, just nodded again and Jo stepped away from the table with her hands still on the cat, allowing room for Dean to take her place.

"But I would prefer Joanna Beth to restrain."

There was a loud beep of the phone intercom and then Becky's voice asking for Dean, and if he believed in god he would have said it was divine intervention.

Without another look at either Jo or Dr. Novak, Dean walked over to the tech desk and instead of speaking with Becky over the intercom he picked up the hand piece.

"Yes?" He asked and wasn't at all surprised at how short it sounded.

"Um," Becky hesitated for just a moment and then continued. "The rep from Patterson Supply is here to see you."

Dean turned around and found Sam looking at him before he asked, "Jessica Moore?" And if Dean wasn't still fuming, he would have found Sam's demeanor change amusing.

"Yep," she said with none of the previous trepidation, back to her cheery self.

"Go ahead and put her in a room and I'll be up in just a second."

When Dean hung up he completely ignored Dr. Novak and how he was placing the stupid catheter with no problem at all, that asshat.

"You coming?" Dean asked Sam, and this time it was comical the way he sprung into action, following his elder brother out of Treatment. As soon as they were in the relative privacy of the back hall Sam stopped him with a hand on his arm.

“You ok?”

Dean deflated under his brother's knowing gaze. “I couldn’t hit the fucking vein. He was standing right behind me, watching, and I couldn’t hit the fucking vein.”

Sam put his big mammoth hand on Dean’s shoulder and forced him to look his younger brother in the eye. “And you would prefer,” he said with a grin, throwing the doctor’s repeated words, “to not look like an idiot in front of the cute new doctor.”

It worked. The smile was forced onto his lips without Dean's permission and it finally pushed the angry haze to the back of his brain. “Shut up,” Dean chuckled, turning away and making Sam’s hand fall from his shoulder.

“Jerk.”

“Bitch. Let’s go see what your girlfriend wants.”

“She’s not my girlfriend!” but he caught up with his brother none-the-less and they were both under control as Dean opened the back door to the second exam room.

“Hi Dean, Sam!” Jess’ eyes were bright when she saw Dean, but they simply lit up when she spied Sam behind him. God, these two.

“Hey Jess,” they both said in unison. There really was no logical reason for Sam to accompany Dean when he spoke to reps, and for the most part he didn’t, except for this particular rep. And no one ever had the heart to call him on it. It wasn’t like he got in the way, actually he pretty much just stood next to Dean and stared like a love sick little puppy.

“So, what’s up?” Dean asked, leaning against the sink counter facing the pretty rep across the exam table.

“Heard you guys snagged Dr. Novak,” she said raising her eyebrows as if that was something to be proud of.

When Dean didn’t say anything, Sam chimed in, “You know him?”

“Yeah, he was at one of my clinics up north. They loved him. Not exactly sure why he moved. Have you guys gotten the scoop?”

Dean figured they were both giving her the same confused look because she frowned and said, “What?”

“Are we talking about the same Dr. Novak?”

“I don’t think there’s two of them. Why?”

Sam beat Dean to the punch, “He’s kind of a douche.” Dean was so happy he wasn’t the only one catching that vibe from him.

“Seriously? Everything I’ve heard about him he’s an amazing doctor and although he’s a little awkward, he’s really good with clients and his coworkers.”

“Hmm,” Sam shrugged at Dean. “I mean it is his first day, maybe we should just give him a chance.”

“So, you got anything new for us?” Dean asked and the other two just let him change the subject.

“Actually, yes,” she said, pulling her briefcase out and setting it on the table. She pulled out a number of flyers, mostly on new drugs or updated pricing. “These you can give to Dr. Harvelle, but I wanted to let you know that there’s a conference that Bayer is hosting at the Science Museum next month and they’ve actually got a couple lectures about vet school that you might find interesting,” Jess said, handing Sam the flyer. “I’ll be there,” she added, her smile turning shy.

Sam returned her smile and good grief, if these two didn’t get together and have babies Dean didn’t know what he was going to do. But that was it. His stupid brother didn’t say anything else. Holy fuck!

"Well, if you're not going to tell her, I am," Dean turned to Jess. "He got in."

"You got in?" she squealed and made one little jump before she was rounding the table and pulling Sam into a big hug. Sam froze. It was the first time they had more contact than just a handshake, Dean was sure if it. Thankfully Sam got with the program and hugged her back. When they let go they were both blushing furiously.

"We are celebrating at our house next weekend. Nothing big, just drinks and Cards Against Humanity."

"I love Cards Against Humanity!" Jess said.

"You should come," Dean said without even bothering to see his brother's reaction. "I know it's kind of a long drive, but we've got an extra room if you wanted to crash."

"That sounds like a lot of fun. Can I check my calendar and get back to you?"

"Yeah. I've got to get back and check on surgeries. Sam will give you his cell number, he's planning everything anyway."

And with that, Dean left the room. His job was done here.

Dean wasn't stalling going back to Treatment. He wasn't. It was just that when he stopped in the break room to get a glass of water he noticed the dishes from the previous day hadn't been done. So he did them. And then when he opened the fridge he noticed that someone's teriyaki leftovers had leaked sauce over one of the shelves, so he cleaned that too. Then, of course he needed to refill the paper towel dispenser. He was the one who just used a good chunk of them cleaning after all.

So by the time he finally made his way back to treatment, both Jo and Charlie were set up on the two wet tables scaling and polishing their patient's teeth. They both looked up at him, the masks covering their faces from their eyes down.

"I've been waiting for you," Dr. Novak stated and Dean couldn't tell if he was upset with him or not.

"Sorry I had to talk to the Patterson rep." Which wasn't a lie, he did.

"Jessica Moore?"

"Yeah," Dean confirmed. Then he waited for whatever the doctor was going to follow that question up with but he remained silent, just staring at Dean. "So, we ready to get started on the puppy?" Dean asked awkwardly.

He was silent for a moment longer then he said firmly, "Yes." And that was it.

"Ooookay," he said holding the syllables. "I'll go get the puppy."

Dean opened her kennel and once again she came flying out, butt wiggling, and head turning every which way trying to lick all of the accessible parts, and possibly some that weren't accessible, of Dean's skin. "Woah there, spaz!" And he couldn't help but smile. This is what he lived for.

He brought her over to the movable exam table and her nails clicked on the metal as she pranced, licking at air, still trying to get to Dean's hands.

"Shhhhh," Dr. Novak said, directly over Dean's left shoulder. Lucy immediately froze and watched as the doctor came to stand right in front of her. He patted her head and she snuck in one lick on his hand, but that was it as he started his exam.

"Wow, you apparently have the magic touch," Dean said, still amazed by how calm she had gotten.

Dr. Novak's head snapped to stare at Dean with what looked like horror.

"Because she calmed down so fast," Dean said quickly, not really understanding why he was freaking out. "She must like you is all."

He frowned but turned his attention back to the puppy. This guy was so weird.

"Everything looks good," the doctor said once he was done with the exam. "You may place the catheter."

"Dr. Novak," Jo called from across the room. "I'm ready for you."

Novak nodded to Jo then turned back to Dean. "Perhaps you could get your brother to restrain when he returns."

"Yeah sure." Dean took the puppy and as soon as the doctor walked away she exploded with energy once again, wiggling in Dean's arms. 

He sighed. It always bugged him when new employees called Sam his brother instead of his name. It was the same with Jo and her mom. At work they were important on their own merits, not because they were someone's brother or daughter.

He respected Jo for always calling her mom Dr. Harvelle when they were at work, or even when they talked about work. Well, except that one time she got bit in the face by a husky, but Dean figured she was actually needing the comfort of her mother at that moment, not her boss. It was professional and showed respect. So Dean wished other people would show the same respect.

And speak of the devil, Sam opened the door and walked into treatment, and if Dean wasn't mistaken, he had a little jump in his step.

"Hey, will you hold for a catheter?"

"Sure," Sam said a little too chipper. Dean handed the squirming dog to Sam before pulling out the clippers.

"So did you give her your number?"

"Yep," Sam beamed. "And I got hers as well. She said she'd text me tonight and let me know if she can come to the party."

"I do believe this is the second thing I've done for you today."

"Shut up, jerk."

"You shut up, bitch."

Dean shaved the dog's leg and scrubbed it, and pulled out the catheter. "Thanks for holding," Dean said. He always did better when Sam held.

"Hit it before you thank me."

So Dean chuckled and pushed the needle through the skin. It flashed red with blood then fed smoothly. Thank God. He taped it in place and then grabbed the flush. Sam lightly held the puppy's arm above the catheter on top of the vein. Dean pulsed the flush into the catheter. 

Sam frowned. "Do it again."

Dean pulsed it again. Sam's frown deepened and he shook his head. Then Dean pulled back on the plunger of the syringe and nothing happened.

Sam leaned over the puppy, who used his proximity to lick his face, to look at the catheter. Dean saw it at the same time Sam did. The flush he was pumping through the catheter was pooling under her skin.

"You have got to be kidding me. It was in!"

Dean pulled the failed catheter out of the puppy's skin and wrapped her leg. He tossed the ruined catheter into the garbage harder than he should have.

"Well, I'm oh for two. Someone else is going to have to place the catheter."

"I will," Dr. Novak said from his spot at the head of the wet table. He didn't even look up from the the cat's mouth. "As soon as I'm done here."

Dean grumbled then looked at the puppy. "It's not your fault," he told her, letting her lick his knuckles.

"So, what are you going to wear to the party?" Sam asked, and Dean was grateful for the change in subject.

"I was thinking about getting a new pair of jeans after work on Thursday, so probably those."

"Can I go with you?"

"Sure. You gotta look good for your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend!"

"Not yet."

"I'm fished," Dr. Novak announced. "Dean,would you please assist Joanna waking this cat up while I place the catheter on the puppy?"

They switched spots and Sam held the puppy for the doctor. Dean helped Jo unhook all of the monitoring wires from the cat.

"You get the temp and I'll get the heating pad," Dean said and just happened to catch a glimpse of Dr. Novak successfully flushing the catheter he placed with no problems whatsoever. He hated this guy.

Jo took the cat's temp, noted it on the chart then carried her back to her kennel in ICU.

"Son of a gun!" She said once she was back in treatment. "I got peed on. Dr. Novak,"

"Yes?"

"I've been turned into a cow, can I go home?"

Everyone chucked. Except for Dr. Novak.

"I don't understand that reference." He canted his head to one side.

"Emperor's New Groove," Jo said.

"You've never seen Emperor's New Groove?" Charlie asked from behind her mask. "Man, we are going to have to educate you, son."

Sam piped up, "Oh, right. The poison. The poison for Kuzco, the poison chosen especially to kill Kuzco, Kuzco's poison. That poison?"

Dean almost lost it when the doctor shot Sam the most confused look ever.

"Ok," Jo said taking pity on the man. "We'll stop. But I am going to go get changed. Be back in just a second." And then she broke out in Kronk's theme song as she left treatment. Once the door closed behind her she spoke loud enough to be heard from the hallway by the lockers, "Bad llama!"

Meg entered treatment with a sneer. "Are you guys quoting that awful cartoon again?"

Charlie held the polisher at her coworker threateningly. "First of all, Emperor's New Groove was an awesome movie, second Dr. Novak hasn't seen it."

"Don't worry," Meg said with a condescending quirk of her eyebrow. "You're not missing much. I'd be worried if you haven't seen something good like Pulp Fiction or something."

"I haven't seen that either." By now the poor guy looked like someone kicked his puppy.

"Holy shit! You haven't seen Pulp Fiction?!"

"Watch your language," Linda scolded, appearing out of who knows where.

"Where the fuck did she come from?" Meg mumbled sneaking back out of treatment. "Fucking ninja, put a bell on her."

She turned to Sam who was still holding the puppy. "Sam, are you on the clock?"

"No, ma'am."

"Then you're not supposed to be working. If you can't manage that I'm going to ask you to leave."

Dean quickly crossed treatment and took over for Sam who slunk back to the microscope.

She turned to Dr. Novak. "Let me know if they aren't staying on task."

"Not at all. They are all incredibly hard workers. But I will make sure Sam is on the clock before utilizing him in the future."

Linda eyed the doctor like her staff had somehow brainwashed him and he could no longer be trusted.

It was then that Charlie announced that she was done with the dental cleaning pulling Dr. Novak away. Once they were done and Jo was helping Charlie recover her dog, without a word to Dean, Novak induced the puppy and then set out to scrub while Dean prepped Lucy for surgery.

There was no music and the doctor wasn't talkative like Dr. Harvelle or Barnes, so it felt like the spay took forever, but once he was done and Dean was inputting the surgery chart he begrudgingly admitted that it was in fact an average surgery time.

"Why aren't you guys listening to music?" Dr. Barnes said putting her stethoscope in her box and taking her phone messages off.

Dean glanced at Dr. Novak who was in the doctor's office typing up his portion of surgery report. He looked back at Pam and shot her a sharp frown. Her eyebrows raised in understanding.

"Are we doing lunch?" she asked cautiously.

"Dr. Harvelle is taking me out to go over some stuff," Dean said putting the anesthesia machine away.

"Ah, the ever important stuff. Well, have fun."

Just then Dr. Harvelle poked her head into Treatment. She already had her coat on and her purse slung over her shoulder. "Hey Dean, you ready?"

"Uh, yeah, just let me check with Dr. Novak and make sure he doesn't need anything from me before I go." Dean didn't enter the office, just leaned in while hanging on the door frame. "Dr. Novak?"

"Yes Dean?" he replied without even slowing down the keystrokes on the computer.

"Just wanted to check and see if you needed anything before I go to lunch."

He finally stopped, and saved his document before turning in his chair to face Dean head on. "No, I don't think so. I would appreciate having someone quickly go through the room procedures prior to the afternoon appointments, but it doesn't need to be you."

It was almost like the doctor didn't want him to be the one training him. Well, too bad. He was going to get Dean as his afternoon tech whether he liked it or not.

"Well, our first appointment is at two thirty, so I can go over everything you need before that. I will be back by two at the latest."

"Very well," Dr. Novak said and turned back to his computer.

Dean didn't even say goodbye, he just grabbed his own jacked and met Dr. Harvelle in the parking lot. She waited until they were both in her truck with the doors shut before she spoke.

"So, how did this morning go with Dr. Novak?"

"He doesn't like to listen to music while he works," Dean grumbled, pulling his seatbelt on.

Dr. Harvelle chuckled. "Guessing that rubbed you the wrong way."

"He's a good doctor, thorough, uses aseptic technique, beautiful incision lines, no problems there, but I'm just not sure about how well he and I are going to click. It was like we just couldn't get into a groove this morning. It made all of the procedures take twice as long. And personality wise ... He's kind of a weird dude."

Dr. Harvelle just chuckled. "He's a little odd, but he's personable enough from what I've seen at his interviews. We'll see how he does with clients this afternoon."

"And the no music?"

"You can talk to him about it, but it's up to him. He's only going to be doing surgeries two mornings a week. I think you can live without your classic rock for those mornings."

***

Dean didn't end up talking to Dr. Novak about the music. Dr. Harvelle was right. It was only two mornings a week. He could be the bigger man. But he did make sure he was the one who went over the exam room protocol. It was just that much more satisfying that the doctor seemed like he didn't want to be alone in the office with Dean. Too bad, so sad.

Begrudgingly, Dean had to admit that the doctor was picking things up really quickly. He was a good doctor and they made it to their last room of the day smoothly.

“Ok,” Dean said, getting Dr. Novak’s attention. He swiveled his chair to look at Dean, but didn’t stand. “I’ve got Lucifer, an 8 week old kitten for her first vaccines and deworming. They are going to sign up on the Kitten Plan so we’ll send home Revolution.”

Dr. Novak turned his head to the side, a gesture Dean was quickly becoming familiar with when the man was trying to work something out. “Who would name a kitten Lucifer?”

“A little girl,” he said with an amused quirk to his eyebrow.

Novak’s frown deepened. “Why would a little girl name her pet after Satan?”

“Cinderella?” Dean asked, hoping the name would explain.

Novak just looked even more confused.

“Cinderella. Lucifer was the cat in Cinderella.”

Still giving him a blank stare. 

“Oh my god, you haven’t seen Cinderella? You haven’t seen Cinderella, you haven’t seen Emperor's New Groove.” Dean pulled his phone out and opened a new notepad document. “I am starting a list of movies you are required to see.” He typed in Cinderella and Emperor's New Groove.

A cell phone rang and Dean frowned at his phone in his hand. It was the same ringtone, but it wasn't his.

"I think that's you."

Dr. Novak pulled his phone out of his white coat. He looked at Dean with an expression that may have been trying to be embarrassment.

"You can answer it. We're pretty lax on the whole cell phone rule," Dean said and motioned to the phone in his hand as exhibit one. "I'll wait for you out there."

Dean shut the door to the doctor's office which gave the impression of privacy even though it really wasn't. The entire door was a giant window and it only slightly muffled the conversation. He would deny it later if he had to, but he was totally eavesdropping.

Instead of a normal greeting as he answered the phone, the doctor growled, "What do you want?" There was a pause. "Balthazar, I'm working."

There was a longer pause. Dean couldn't help but strain to listen, without actually looking like he was. Castiel? Balthazar? Those were some really fucking weird names. Then the doctor slipped into a different language. It wasn't French or Italian. It almost sounded like a weird love child of Latin and something aboriginal. 

The doctor's voice rose and then went deadly quiet, still speaking in that bizarre language. Then suddenly in English, "Balthazar, the answer is no." Then he hung up the phone.

Dr. Novak left his phone sitting on his desk and exited his office. He grabbed his stethoscope from his box and turned to Dean, "I'm ready."

Dean, with the exam supplies in his hands, followed the doctor. "Room one," he directed.

Without even acknowledging Dean, Dr. Novak knocked on the exam room door and entered, leaving Dean to shut the door behind him.

As soon as the doctor spied the little girl with the stuffed dog clutched to get chest, his entire demeanor changed. He smiled sweetly and knelt down so he was on her level.

"Is this your kitten?" He asked.

The little girl nodded, hiding slightly behind her stuffed animal.

"And what's her name?"

"Lucifer," she responded.

"We're calling her Lucy for short," her mother interjected.

Novak didn't even pull his gaze from the girl. "And who's this?" He asked, tugging on one of the dog's ears.

"Her name is Millie. I got her for my birthday."

"And how old are you?"

She held up four fingers.

"Four? That's a lot of responsibility for a four year old, taking care of a puppy and a kitten. So how is Millie feeling?"

"She has a broken leg."

"Oh no!” the doctor feigned worry. Dean couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. He was adorable. “And what about Lucy?" Novak continued.

"I think she's ok."

"Well, that’s good. So, here's what we are going to do. Dean is going to hold Lucy for me while I check her out, then I'm going to give her a vaccine. Then we are going to take her to treatment and we are going to get some blood to see if she has a sickness called Leukemia or FIV. When we take her back, we'll take Millie as well and get her fixed up too. Does that sound ok?"

The girl nodded and Dr. Novak didn't even notice the look her mother was giving him. She was in awe. The exam on Lucy was thorough and he explained to the girl exactly what he was doing before he did anything. When they were done, Dean took the kitten and Novak cradled the stuffed dog, taking both to treatment.

"Dean, do you have Lucy?"

He nodded and watched the doctor take the toy to the back counter. 

"Hey Charlie, come hold for me."

"Oh my gosh! Look at you!" She said taking the kitten from Dean. She nuzzled with her while Dean grabbed a syringe and test tube. Charlie was so much shorter than Sam, so Dean had to get on his knees to reach the kitten's neck. He sprayed her neck with alcohol and took the lid off the syringe with his mouth. He held off the jugular vein and waited for it to fill. He pushed the needle through the skin and pulled back on the plunger. Nothing. He frowned. The vein was right there. He pulled out a little, then back in at a slightly different angle. Nothing.

He pulled the syringe out and Charlie placed her fingers where the needle had gone in, not that she had to hold off anything, he didn't hit the vein. He changed the needle and held off the jugular on the opposite side of her trachea. Nothing.

"Back leg?" Charlie asked helpfully.

"Guess I'm gonna have to."

Charlie stretched the kitten out on her side and when Dean pulled her back leg out, Charlie used her entire hand to hold off the vein. Dean watched it pool, the blue vein protruding from the skin. He sprayed it with alcohol and smoothed the hair down on either side of his target. This time he did get a flash of blood, but then nothing.

"Seriously?!" Dean held off the now bleeding leg until Charlie could get a better grip.

"Well, at least you hit it this time."

Dean's shoulders sunk. Dr. Novak would not be happy if he blew both back legs.

"Dr. Novak?" Dean asked cautiously.

"Yes Dean?" He turned.

"I blew one of the back legs, do you want to try on the other one?"

"Yes."

He crossed the room and handed the stuffed dog to Dean and took his place on the ground. Dean ignored the doctor and looked at the toy in his hands. Dr. Novak had used a tongue depressor to splint the the floppy leg and wrapped it with purple vetwrap. It was frikken adorable.

Of course Novak managed to draw a beautiful 3ccs of blood from the kitten's jugular. On his first try.

"You know we only need three drops?" Charlie asked.

Dr. Novak shrugged. "It was flowing." After Charlie had held the the kitten's neck long enough for the blood to clot, Novak took her and the stuffed animal from Dean. "Please get the deworming and flea preventative and meet me back in the room." Then he disappeared.

"Did he splint that stuffed animal?" Charlie asked once he was gone.

"Yeah. There's a little girl in the room. Super cute. But he didn't even talk to the owner. Not sure how that's going to go over."

Dean quickly put everything they did on the invoice, printed out a prescription label for the deworming and grabbed a kitten package with a single dose of Revolution. 

When Dean made it back to the room, Dr. Novak was holding the door open and saying, "Dean will get you checked out." And without saying another word he was gone.

As soon as the door closed, the woman was leaning over the exam table. "I like him a lot. He's amazing. What's his name again?"

"Dr. Castiel Novak."

"Dr. Novak," she repeated. "Well, we love Dr. Barnes, and we'll still be bringing our pug in for acupuncture, but I really like Dr. Novak." And her eyes were so big and a small blush crept across her cheeks. "Is he single?" She asked and Dean must have given her a funny look. "For my sister," she said, maybe a little too quickly.

"I-I don't know," Dean stammered. "Well, I'll send you up front and the receptionist can go over the meds." 

And that's how Dean went home after Dr. Novak's first day, wondering if the infuriating man was in fact single.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally starting to work up to that Explicit rating. Don't worry, there'll be more. Much, much more.
> 
> Every animal and/or medical case is based on an actual animal and/or case I have personally experienced. Again, you seriously can't make this shit up!

The morning of Sam and Dean's little ‘We need an excuse to get together and drink, oh yeah and also Sam got into vet school’ shindig, Dean woke up spooning with his Great Dane, Luxor. The sound of water rushing through the pipes in the wall next to his head didn’t overpower the sound of Sam singing loudly and very off key in the shower. 

Dean couldn't remember Sam ever being as giddy and goofy as he had been in the last week. He was sure it had nothing to do with the text messages his baby brother was getting all hours of the day and night. Jess had agreed to come to the party but had plans to stay at a friend's house instead of Dean and Sam's spare bedroom. Not that he thought, for one second, that she would be staying in that room if she did stay the night. She had proven to be a classy girl, which earned his respect.

Dean groaned when his phone vibrated on his nightstand. It was made all the more obnoxious by the rattle of the keys sitting right next to it. The message was from Benny; he knew it was even before he looked at the screen. And sure enough, Benny Lafitte: _**Leaving now. Dog park in 20.**_

Dean turned to the lazy lump of a dog lying next to him, resting a hand on her large head. "You ready to go to the park, girl?"

Luxor leapt up, planting a giant paw and all one hundred thirty-six pounds into Dean's gut in her hurry to get moving. Dean curled in on himself with a "harrumph" and pushed her off the bed. She spun around twice before Dean could climb out from under the covers.

He quickly got dressed and made sure to flush the toilet twice while Sam was in the shower. He was rewarded with a short scream and a "dammit Dean!" both times.

The walk to the dog park only took about ten minutes and Benny was getting out of his truck as they arrived, Remy, his German Shepherd, jumping out behind him. Benny, as always, was dressed in his signature Greek fisherman's cap and peacoat, his beard neatly trimmed around his bright smile.

As soon as she saw them, Luxor was practically vibrating with excitement, as if they didn't visit the dog park together every week. Dean let her off leash and immediately the two dogs were off tearing through the grass weaving between other dogs and their owners.

They were halfway through their second lap around the park, the dogs doing their own thing but always staying within eyesight of their owners, when Benny stopped at one of the picnic tables.

"Do we need to bring anything tonight?" Benny asked, his Cajun drawl strong and slow.

"Naw," Dean said leaning against the end of the table. "I mean, unless Andrea wants to whip up some of those beignets. I can never say no to that woman's cooking."

"Neither can I," Benny said patting his stomach. "I think I've gained twenty pounds since we started dating. I need to start working out again."

"Yeah, we're not discussing that right now," Dean said rubbing his own belly. "That rep from work that Sam's always talking about ..."

"Jessica something?"

"Yeah, Moore, she's coming tonight, so Sammy's been on my ass all week about running with him and eating these horrifically healthy meals. It's terrible. I like it better when he's not trying to impress someone."

"The prospect of someone seeing you naked is a great motivator," Benny smirked.

"Is that your problem? Not getting any?"

"Ha!" He barked. "Quite the contrary, brother, she seems to be even more frisky with the little extra I've got going on." He shrugged. "Women."

Dean had to laugh at that. 

"Speaking of not getting any ...?" Benny prompted, none too subtly.

Dean rolled his eyes, but his friend was right, it had been a while.

"I don't know, I've been busy. We've got that new doctor at work and he's been a peach. Not that he's not a good doctor, he is. We just don't click like I do with Ellen or Pam, and I've been stuck at work at least an hour late every night this last week. Everything just takes longer, kinda of like being micromanaged."

They both fell quiet as another German Shepherd sauntered over to Lux and Remy, and when he got too close to Lux, Remy made sure to assert himself as the dominant male by raising his hackles and making sure to pee as close to Lux as possible. Dean had to laugh again, males weren't much better than females.

"Is that a Great Dane?"

The question caught both of the men's attention. There were two women. The one who asked the question had an Australian Cattle Dog with her, and the other was the owner of the shepherd.

"Oh no, it looks like a Weimaraner mixed with a Dalmatian," the shepherd's owner corrected. Inaccurately.

Dean just rolled his eyes and turned his gaze to Benny. It never ceased to amaze him how confident people sounded even when they were complete idiots. Actually, he took that back, for some reason idiots always sounded more confident.

"And look at that German Shepherd playing with him, it is way too skinny. I have half a mind to call the police and report that owner. That is obviously neglect."

Oh that hit just the right cord with Benny. He put his fingers to his lips and let out a sharp whistle. Remy froze mid romp, his ears perked. He met his owner's gaze and then broke out into a full on sprint toward Benny with Lux galloping like a horse behind him. Remy slowed just soon enough to come to a complete stop and sit directly in front of his owner. Lux was not nearly as graceful. She started her deceleration far too late and had to jump to the side to miss Remy and managed to almost take Dean off his feet.

The woman scoffed at the scene in front of her, or the loud expletive Dean shouted, but really who knew for sure? Benny turned on her.

"First of all, _she_ is a _purebred_ Great Dane. Second, _my_ shepherd is not underweight, _yours_ is just really fat. Third, when you call the police on me, please let them know that retired K-9 Officer Benjamin Lafitte says hello." Supremely proud of himself, Benny turned on his heel and marched away, Remy right beside him. Dean chuckled at the completely flabbergasted woman and had to jog to catch up with his friend.

"Dude!" Dean said laughing out loud. "That was awesome!"

Benny ended up giving Dean and Lux a ride back to Dean's place, and with a promise to have Andrea bake a batch of beignets, he left him to get ready for the party.

While they mopped floors, dusted and vacuumed, Dean shared the incident from the dog park with Sam and he was happy all over again. Benny really was the most interesting best friend a guy could have.

Dean's great mood stretched all the way through the day. He loved it when he could get all of his friends under one roof and away from the stresses of work. But it came to a screeching halt when his number one stressor walked through the door.

"Dude?" Dean grabbed his brother's arm harder than he should have. "You invited Dr. Novak?"

"Dean Michael Winchester!" Sam growled. "How can I invite literally everyone from work and not invite him?"

"You didn't invite Linda!"

"Yes, actually I did, she just turned us down. So, just put your big boy pants on, take a couple shots, go be inappropriate and play Cards Against Humanity."

Sam set a shot glass with clear liquid on the counter in front of Dean and disappeared out of the kitchen. Dean set his shoulders and grumbled before tilting his head back and downing the shot. It was sweet and fairly smooth. He looked at the bottles bunched together on the island. Whipped cream vodka. It was early, why not? He poured himself another shot and downed that.

"Woah, planning on getting shit faced?" Charlie asked sitting down on the bar stool across the counter from Dean.

Dean filled the glass one more time and set it in front of the red head.

Just then Meg entered with Dr. Novak under her arm. "Come on, let's get you some libations."

Dean refused to watch them as they headed to the refrigerator and instead locked eyes with Charlie. It was pointless of her to try and hide her smirk. "I see," she whispered. She took the bottle from Dean and poured one more shot, handing it to him.

"See you in hell," he saluted before he downed his third shot.

Meg then pushed Dean aside going for the pile of liquor on the counter.

"What's your poison?" Charlie asked when Meg wasn't finding what she was looking for.

"I'd take Johnny or Jack."

Then Sam was there, Jess right beside him.

"And Jess for the win," Sam said pulling a bottle out of a paper sack. "Johnny Walker black."

"Like my soul," Meg said grabbing the bottle from Sam.

"What about you Dr. Novak?" Charlie asked standing.

"I don't drink," he said holding up his soda. "And please call me Castiel outside of work."

"Well I'm just gonna call you Gregory cause that name's a fuckin nightmare."

"Ash!" Jo yelled from somewhere in the house and the next thing they all knew she was jumping onto the tall man's back. There was a commotion in the kitchen as introductions were made.

"That's Jo's cousin, you get used to him," Charlie explained.

"No one gets used to Ash," Meg interjected pouring herself a glass of whisky. Dean grabbed a glass and she filled one for him as well.

"Why would he want to call me Gregory? My name is Castiel." The man looked so confused Dean couldn't help but find him adorable.

"He's not going to call you Gregory," Charlie explained. "It's a line from Horrible Bosses. Dean, we need to add that to the list."

Dean pulled his phone out of his back pocket and opened the list named "Novak's Education" and added the movie to the ever growing list.

Poor Dr. Novak looked dejected. No, Castiel. Castiel looked dejected. Or Cas, Cas would be easier.

"Don't worry Clarence, we'll have a movie night and get you up to speed." She wrapped her arm around Cas' shoulder and led him out of the kitchen.

Dean heard Cas say to Meg, "It's not Clarence either, it's Castiel." She laughed out loud and then they were gone.

"Heya, Dean." Ash slapped him on the back and he made Dean spill part of his drink. "So what's this game Jo keeps telling me I have to play?"

"Cards Against Humanity!" Jo announced and herded everyone into the living room.

Drinks in hand, everyone congregated around the coffee table. Castiel and Meg sat against the empty fireplace, Jess next to the doctor against the entertainment center and sitting way too close to her was Sam. Ash copped a squat next to him, then against the couch opposite the TV, sat Jo, Charlie and Dean. Dean was fine with the Meg sized barrier between him and Cas. He really could get through the evening.

"Ok!" Jo said clapping her hands. "Who hasn't played this game?"

"I haven't," Cas said quietly as if he were going to get scoffed at like he always did when he didn't understand a movie reference.

"Me neither," Ash added and Cas looked relieved to not be the only one.

"So it's kind of like Apples to Apples, only dirty. Everyone pulls seven white cards," she said dividing them up into smaller piles to distribute around the table, and everyone started taking their seven cards. "And whoever's turn it is draws a black card." She set the pile of black cards in the middle of the table and took one off the top. "So, for example mine says," and she had to chuckle before she read it, "How I lost my virginity."

"Jake Miller," Ash responded with an evil smile.

Jo punched her cousin in the shoulder. "Shut up!" She pointedly turned away from Ash and put all of her attention on Castiel. "Then everyone else goes through their white cards and picks the one they think the person will like the best. Then the person reads all of the white cards and picks one. Who's ever card it belonged to gets the point." 

"Two brothers, an Impala and a ... fuck ton of pie?" 

Dean almost lost a mouthful of whisky. It was the first time he had heard the doctor swear. And it was glorious.

"I sure as hell hope that's not how you lost your virginity, Clarence," Meg drawled and laughter erupted around the table.

Well that was a visual Dean could have done without.

"You can write your own," Sam explained. "At the end of the game, whoever has the most points gets to write their own card."

"That little gem was a Dr. Barnes addition," Charlie added.

"And this one was written about you and your brother?" Cas asked Sam.

"Of course it was," Meg said taking the card out of his grip and leaving it face up on the table. "Get a new card because you can't use that one now."

Just then Lux launched off the couch and started barking at the front door. The door opened and Benny’s melodious tones preceded him, hushing Dean’s dog.

“Benny!” Came as a chorus from the living room. Introductions were made all around and then Andrea took a seat between Jo and Ash while Benny went to get them both drinks.

“You guys start without me,” Meg said standing. “I’m gonna go take a smoke break, but I’ll be back in time to mop the floor with y’all.”

Meg crawled over Dean and Jo on her way out of the living room and patted Benny on the shoulder before she left to the kitchen.

"Dean, scoot over," Jo said shooing him with her hand.

Dean glanced over at Cas who was sitting quietly against the fireplace looking over his cards and his heart sped up. He had been specifically trying to not look at him and now that he was, he was having trouble looking away. Castiel was wearing jeans, the first time Dean had seen him not wearing slacks, and because he was currently sitting cross legged on the floor they were pulled tight in the most distracting places. He was wearing a tee-shirt that fit him so much differently than the collared button ups he wore at the clinic. His fingers suddenly itched with the desire to find out what the man kept hidden behind the too big white doctor's coat.

Dean pulled his eyes away from the infuriating man and landed on Benny who was still waiting for Dean to move his ass over so he could sit next to his girlfriend. He had a very strange look on his face, mouth open like he was surprised by something and then morphed quickly to a small smile. A knowing smile. Fuck him, there was nothing to know!

"Meg was sitting here," Dean said lamely.

"If she forfeits her lungs to cancer, she forfeits her spot when she takes a break to acquire said cancer. Now move, he's your best friend."

He finally moved over and Cas unfolded his legs and ended up with his back against the rock of the fireplace and his knees bent against the coffee table. Like that Dean couldn't even manage to keep some space between him and Cas. Nope, as soon as he was settled, he ended up in contact with the man from shoulder all the way down to his left leg.

"Well, since it's your party Sam," Jo said reeling the group back onto topic. "You go first."

Throughout the game they ended up adding twelve additional movies to the list Castiel hadn’t seen and needed to to survive … life. Ash ended up kicking everyone’s asses, but Dean was surprised at how many Castiel and he had exchanged. Of course that meant nothing. And neither did the pointed looks Benny kept throwing at him every time either of them picked the others’ cards.

Dean was thankful that after the game, the group split in two, Charlie, Jo, Ash, Meg and Castiel moved to the dining room with the table and additional couch (because why wouldn’t there be a couch in the dining room?), and Dean, Sam, Jess, Benny and Andrea stayed in the living room going through Dean’s records.

On her way to the bathroom Charlie stopped in the living room. “Meg talked the doctor into playing Capital.”

The boys all groaned. That was trouble.

“What’s Capital?” Jess asked.

“It’s a game Meg made up,” Sam explained. “There are no concrete rules, and she changes them depending on who she’s playing. At first it sounds legit, and you actually think you might be winning. The next thing you know, you’re black out drunk.”

“I thought he said he wasn’t drinking,” Dean added.

“Apparently she insulted his masculinity,” Charlie said and disappeared into the bathroom.

“I’ve got a drinking game we can play,” Jess piped up with a devious smirk. Sam perked right up.

And so the next hour they spent yelling at each other when someone messed up the sort of charades memory love child of a drinking game. Leaving them all fairly buzzed if not full on drunk.

"Dean!" Jo's voice cut through the laughter in the living room. 

Dean groaned and stood, only taking a moment to gain his balance. In the dining room Jo was sitting on the couch across from Charlie with Lux's butt on Jo's lap and her head and paws on Charlie's. Jo was holding her nose.

"Your dog needs to go outside."

"Come on Lux, let's go outside." And with the word she leapt off the ladies with two sets of groans and matching 'ouches' and followed Dean to the backdoor. He stepped outside before he even noticed the two other people on the deck. Lux first went to Castiel, and holy shit that was going to be hard to remember to not call him Dr. Novak outside of the clinic, to get a quick scratch behind the ear, then Meg. Then she jumped off the deck to find the perfect place to relieve herself.

"Well Dean, I think I'd better get going," Meg said putting her cigarette out and tossing the butt in the jar beside the grill. She wrapped her arms around Dean and before he could ask if they were huggers now, she whispered in his ear, "The doc is sloshed, don't let him drive."

She pulled away from him and left the bitter smell of smoke on his clothes. She leaned over to where Cas was sitting on the edge of the deck and squeezed his shoulder. "It was nice seeing you let loose Clarence."

"Goodnight, Meg. I will see you on Monday." He didn't slur his words, but they were definitely delivered slower and with more care than usual. There was an awkward moment after Meg disappeared into the house as Dean and Cas were left alone on the back deck. It was Cas who broke the silence by clearing his throat and standing, albeit a little wobbly.

He looked like he was going for the door but at the last minute changed his trajectory and got all up in Dean's space. Dean opened his mouth to remind the guy about that whole personal space thing, again, but nothing came out. Instead he was assaulted with an array of olfactory triggers; whiskey and something sweet, probably coke, cologne, dryer sheets and just a hint of smoke on his breath which meant he probably took a drag off Meg's cigarette.

Dean didn't even smoke and he definitely wanted to taste that. He licked his lips and the man in front of him tracked the movement. When he met his eyes again Cas' pupils were blown.

"You ..." And Cas frowned as if he didn't know what he had initially intended to say.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You are irritating."

Dean laughed out loud. " _I'm_ irritating?"

"Infinitely so."

"I wasn't the one who came to your established job and changed everything."

Cas opened his mouth like he wanted to say something and leaned forward close enough to almost touch Dean, but at the last second pulled back and shut his mouth.

"And I'm not the one who has zero social skills and no concept of personal space. And doesn't like music. Seriously, who doesn't like music? Or trust his certified techs to do their jobs. Or the one who has those stupid fucking blue eyes!" Well that wasn't what he wanted to say at all. "And you're really distracting!"

"I'm distracting? _I'm_ distracting?"

Dean stood just a little taller and he was thankful for the buzz he had going, because otherwise he would never have been so brave. "Yes."

Castiel clenched his jaw and his eyes flashed almost dangerously. "I'm going to push you up against the side of your house and kiss you."

Dean wanted to laugh at his awkward bluntness but he was suddenly distracted by the mass exodus of his blood southward, and all he managed was a weak, "Ok."

Before he could even contemplate doing anything else, Castiel's hands were on Dean's chest, pushing him backwards. He was slammed into the siding of his house and wow, hello, Cas was flush against his front. 

And holy shit, this guy totally went from zero to erect in two seconds flat. Or he was already sporting a hard on before he decided to molest his coworker. And then Dean's internal monolog shut right the fuck up because Dr. Castiel Novak was crushing his lips against Dean's and there was no hesitation in opening his mouth to the onslaught. Dean was right. Whisky and coke and tobacco and those stupid red vines Jo brought and Cas, Dear Lord Almighty, Cas. It was wet and hot and sloppy as hell, but it was amazing. And Dean matched Cas thrust for thrust of his tongue.

And then he all out moaned into Dean's mouth, and oh, that was probably because Dean just rolled his hips and holy shit that sound went straight to his dick and now he was painfully aroused and fuck jeans, why was he wearing jeans? How fast could he get them off?

Then Cas' hands were digging into his hips and forcing Dean to thrust into him again and it was his turn to moan because the pressure was torture, too much and not enough all at the same time.

Then, fuck, oh, oh, oh! Cas' hands were on his ass. Dean couldn't help but pull away from Cas' mouth and his head lulled back until the back of his skull hit the rough siding of the house. But the man didn’t stop his assault, his mouth was on Dean's neck and he was fairly sure he was going to have a flipping hickey on his neck like he was in high school, and Dean honestly couldn't give a fuck. And wow, apparently this make out slash dry hump was brought to you by the word "fuck" and the number eight.

"Fuck Cas!" Dean gasped needing to vocalize it. He should probably spell it out for the kids in the back. F-U-C-K.

Cas growled. Holy shit the man actually growled. "It's Doctor Novak."

Dean was just about ready to remind him that not three hours ago he was telling everyone to call him by his first name and now-

"Doctor. Novak."

Oh!

"Doctor Novak," Dean purred, yes, actually purred.

Cas' hands were on either side of Dean's head, forcing it down so he could look him in the eye and then fucking took his bottom lip into his mouth and bit down. He let off just enough to run his tongue along the abused flesh and then did it again. And this time when he pulled off it was because he was sinking down to his knees.

"Say it again," Cas said, looking up at Dean and it was so hot. So hot.

"Doctor Novak."

He pulled the leather of Dean's belt tight until it gave. "Again."

"Doctor Novak."

He popped the button and unzipped the zipper. It was painful on his erection and he couldn't stop the hiss.

"Again."

Yep this man had a serious kink. And it may or may not have been working for Dean as well. "Doctor Novak," he repeated, and how his voice got lower and more gravelly he had no idea.

Cas gripped the two sides of Dean’s unzipped jeans and pulled his hips closer to his face. Dean could feel his hot breath through his underwear. And then those lips, those sinful lips were mouthing his cock through the fabric of his boxer briefs. 

“Dean, Meg told me Cas was gonna need a hand.”

There was a moment of sheer terror when Dean heard the voice as the back door opened and all he could do was push Cas away from him. The man completely lost his balance and fell backwards on the deck. And heaven help him there was no hiding what was happening.

Jo's profile was backlit by the porch light on the other side of her and she just froze taking in the scene in front of her. Dean was just standing against the house with his jeans open and if he looked anything like Cas did at the moment ...

When Jo pulled her gaze from Cas to Dean, Jo's words finally sunk in. Cas was gonna need a hand. And maybe it was nerves or arousal or alcohol, but he could not stop the laugh that bubbled out. Even to his ears it sounded a bit hysterical.

Cas was finally starting to get up off his ass, and thank God, Jo decided not to question either of them and just lent that hand to Cas.

"Come on Dr. Novak, let's get you home.". And without even so much as a dirty look thrown Dean's way, Jo helped Cas into the house.

As soon as the door shut Dean slid down the wall until he was sitting on the cold wood of the deck. Lux chose that moment to jump back up on the deck and after a good shake that flung drool pretty much everywhere, she sat half next to him and half on him.

"I think I fucked up, girl."

He wasn't sure how long he had sat there, stroking his dog's head, but when Jo poked her head out he realized he was actually quite chilly.

"You're a dumb ass," she said, sliding down beside him. "And button your pants!"

He grumbled, but did as she said. "For the record, he came onto me."

"Dean, he's drunk."

"So am I! How come no one's ever worried about my virtue?"

"Because you're not passed out in my car right now."

"Nice," he chuckled, but apparently she did have a point. He wasn't that drunk, yet.

"Everyone else has cleared out and I'm going to take Dr. Novak home."

Dean could feel his face heat at his name. The name he had made him repeat over and over as if it was dirty.

"If I was you, I would keep what happened here to yourself and pray he doesn't remember." 

***

"God dammit, Jo! I think he remembers!" Dean was perhaps freaking out just a little.

Jo was laughing quietly as she cleaned the kennels in ICU. "Yeah, he totally remembers." She grabbed at the collar of his scrub top and flicked where the nice little bruise had formed on his neck. “Kind of hard for him to not remember with the evidence so blatantly on display!”

“Not like I could just wear a turtleneck or a scarf with my scrubs, now could I?!” He sighed. “He's been on my ass all morning. What do I do? I mean I don't even know what his problem is!"

"Dude, you rejected him in the worst way possible, in front of his boss' daughter by pushing him on his ass as he was about to give you a blow job ... And then you laughed at him!"

"I wasn't laughing at him!"

"Well it sure sounded like it."

"Well then, if you're so smart, what do I do?"

"Make it up to him!"

"How do I make it up to him?"

"If you can't figure out how to use that Winchester charm, you don't deserve the opportunity."

"Dean?" It was Charlie knocking on the glass door. Jo nodded and Charlie opened the door. "Dr. Novak is going to be out of his room in just a couple minutes and he said he wanted the hedgehog ready when he was done. And judging by how this morning has been going with you two, I'd have the hedgehog ready."

Grumbling to himself, Dean ventured out into Treatment and set the anesthesia machine up. He pulled the induction mask out and waited.

"Are we all ready?" Dr. Novak asked as soon as he was through the Treatment door without even looking at Dean.

"Yep," Dean said with as much cheer as he could muster. He pulled the hedgehog out of the small kennel and set him on the table. "Here you go," Dean said getting as far into the doctor's bubble as possible. Then he dropped his voice as low and quiet as he could, "Doctor Novak."

The man didn't turn to Dean, but he did tense up quite nicely. Good, Dean smirked. Dean covered the hedgehog completely with the induction mask that usually just fit over a patient's muzzle, and turned on the anesthesia. While they waited for the little guy to fall asleep, Dean shifted his weight and managed to press himself that much further into Novak. He didn't flinch away.

Dean couldn’t help but look over Dr. Novak’s shoulder as he unrolled the now out cold prickly rodent. He took a deep breath before he carefully placed his hand at the small of the doctor's back. The touch could have been dismissed as innocent by anyone viewing it on the outside, but Dean heard the quick inhaled gasp.

It took the doctor a moment before he was able to speak. “So the owner didn’t give any specifics?” Novak asked turning his head right into Dean’s face.

“Sorry,” Dean said under his breath at the annoyed look his doctor shot him and went to his other shoulder, placing his hand on his back once again.

“Nope,” Charlie said looking over the chart. “And I quote, ‘His penis looks weird.’”

Dr. Novak shrugged and just went for it, pulling the flesh back to reveal the animal’s reproductive organs. Both Dean and Novak just stared at it quietly. Dean scratched his head. 

“It looks like a tiny sea cucumber,” Dean commented, leaning closer.

Suddenly Charlie was leaning over Dr. Novak’s other shoulder. “Oh my gosh! It does. So,” Charlie said moving in to get a closer look, which shoved Dr. Novak further into Dean, “if that’s what a ‘weird’ penis looks like,” and she used air quotes, “what’s a normal hedgehog penis look like?”

Novak’s mouth fell open and he frowned, just standing there with his hands on the unconscious animal’s junk. Finally he turned to Dean with an utterly lost look on his face. “I have no idea.”

Dean actually threw his head back and laughed out loud.

“Dr. Google!” Charlie exclaimed and went to the computer to apparently search “hedgehog penises.”

The treatment door opened and Meg and Dr. Barnes entered talking about antibiotic dosing.

“Hey!” Dean said getting their attention. “Do you guys wanna see a hedgehog penis?”

“Yes,” Dr. Barnes answered without even a moment’s hesitation, then she paused. “Was that a serious question?”

Dean actually giggled. “Yeah.”

So now there were four of them around the wet table looking at the poor hedgehog.

“I feel like this is just a step away from date rape,” Meg commented and Dean smacked her shoulder.

Dr. Novak looked up at Dr. Barnes pleadingly. “Have you ever seen one before?”

“That is a negative, good sir,” she said looking closer.

“Oh my God!” Charlie cried. “Back! Back! Back!” she yelled hitting the escape key violently over and over. “There are just some things you should not Google. Hedgehog penis is one of them. Sorry Dr. Erotica, you’re on your own for this one.”

Dr. Barnes laughed. “Wait, wait, wait. I think Dr. Harvelle has an exotics book in her office. Give me just a second.”

Barnes disappeared into the doctor's office and they all just stood around waiting. Except for Charlie who was collecting all of the shedded quills from the table.

"Here we go," Dr. Barnes reappeared. "Hedgehog reproduction." She looked down at the animal and back at the book. "Huh, it looks normal to me."

She held the book out and everyone leaned forward to look at the small photo and then back at the hedgehog.

“Do you think maybe he was just aroused and the owner had never seen it before?” Dean asked.

They all turned to Dean and he found himself locking eyes with Dr. Novak and only Dr. Novak. He swallowed and a very obvious blush spread up from his neck into his cheeks. What Dean wouldn’t give to know what the man was thinking right then and there.

“You know, I think you might be right,” Dr. Barnes said, pulling her attention back to the book. "I mean, have you ever seen an aroused hedgehog?" She asked Novak.

"Why would I have?"

"Hey," Dr. Barnes said throwing her hands up, "what you do in your spare tone is none of my business."

"I don't know about any of you," Meg said with an evil grin. "But I want to be there when he has to tell the owner."

Everyone laughed. Even Dr. Novak. But it died quickly when his phone vibrated in his pocket, Dean was pressed up against him tight enough he felt it too. Novak pulled his phone out and his face dropped to the serious blank he usually held.

"Excuse me," he said overly polite and put a fair amount of space between him and his coworkers. Dr. Barnes resumed the conversation with Meg and Charlie about what could have possibly aroused a hedgehog, but Dean wasn't listening. His attention was on Dr. Novak and how he had slipped into that weird language in hushed tones.

The conversation was over quickly but from that moment on, he no longer allowed Dean to touch him, always stepping away when he got too close.

Well, so much for the charming his pants off plan.

***

Dean groaned out loud as Jo set another pile of charts down next to the computer he was working on.

"I'm sorry," she said with pinched eyebrows. 

He was so far behind on his charts. It was always the case with any new employee, a doctor was no exception. There was so much training and answering questions. It had only been a month since Dr. Novak started and Dean was over a week behind in charts. He had to get caught up because starting on Monday Dr. Harvelle and Barnes were going to be gone for an entire week at the conference in San Diego. So it was just going to be Dr. Novak. The entire week.

"Well, if there's nothing I can help you with," Jo said hopefully. Dean just shook his head. "I think I'm gonna just head out then."

"Are you the last one here?"

"Yeah, Dr. Novak and Meg left about an hour ago."

Dean couldn't help but wonder absently if they left together and was embarrassed at the sharp reaction it elicited. Jealousy, his subconscious supplied helpfully. But he bit his tongue.

"Alright Jo, have a good weekend. Thanks for all your help today."

"No problem. Call me if you need anything."

Dean sighed and glanced at the stack of files sitting on the desk next to him. He probably had a solid two and a half hours of work ahead of him. He needed to text Sam to feed Lux.

He tracked down his phone that apparently he had left on the back treatment counter and there were four texts. Two from Sam: _**Want me to feed lux?**_ and _**N/m she was bugging me so I fed her.**_ One from Dr. Harvelle: _**Getting on the plane. Dr. N in charge.**_ And one from Benny: **_Dinner? Beer?_**

He quickly shot Sam a **_Thx. B home late._** And **_Yes! Roadhouse in 10?_** to Benny. **_Meet u there_** came Benny's response almost immediately.

Dean left all of his charts where they were, he'd have dinner and a beer or two with Benny and come back afterwards. That way he could sleep in the next morning and have a lazy Sunday.

He didn't even bother shutting the lights off, but he did lock up and set the alarm.

When Dean pulled into the Roadhouse parking lot Benny's truck wasn't there yet, so he went in, ordered their usual burgers and a beer for himself, sometimes Benny would get adventurous and order whatever new microbrew they had on tap so he left the drink order for him, and settled into a booth in the back.

The next week was going to be interesting. Because they were down two doctors, both Meg and Charlie were taking the week off, so it was just going to be Dean, Jo, Becky, and Sam in the afternoons. It wasn't that he minded the decrease in staff, he was just concerned about his complete inability to hit a vein. It was starting to annoy him. Ok, that was a lie, it was pissing him the fuck off.

Just then Benny walked in the door. He spotted Dean who shot him a quick wave and beelined his way over.

“I’ve got the fucking yips,” Dean said without so much as a hello.

“Brother, do we need to have the safe sex talk?” Benny asked, sliding into the booth with a smirk.

“Fuck you,” Dean said pointing his beer bottle at the man now sitting across from him. “I cannot hit a vein to save a life. It’s been a month and I haven’t even been able to draw blood, let alone place a catheter.”

“I always thought you were the one everyone else came to when they were having trouble.”

“I was,” Dean all out growled. “I even tried drawing with Sam holding. I can always hit it with Sam.”

“Well, if not Sam, who have you been ‘hitting it’ with?”

“Is everything always sexual with you?”

Benny looked up for a moment as if he was giving it due consideration. “Yes,” he answered finally, dead serious.

Dean rolled his eyes. “Mostly it’s been with Jo, but Dr. Novak is always around, hovering.”

Benny barked a quick laugh. “And don’t give me that crap, it’s sexual with you too.”

“It has nothing to do with him!”

“You said it’s been going on a month. When did your doctor start?”

Dean opened his mouth to answer snidely, first that he wasn't his doctor, and second that they were not correlated, but then he realized, shit, Novak started about a month ago. In fact, it was that stupid dental on his first day. He closed his mouth quickly and frowned, taking a long pull from his beer.

Thankfully, the waitress showed up with their burgers before Benny could make another annoying yet spot on comment. “Here you go boys. Can I get you a drink sugar?” the waitress asked Benny.

"Whatever lager you've got on tap."

"Sure thing. If you boys need anything else I'll be right back."

They both nodded and she smiled brightly.

"So you speak other languages, right?" Dean asked just before he took a too big bite of his burger.

"French and Spanish. Why?"

Dean chewed over dramatically and took a long swig of his beer before he spoke, "Dr. Novak, I've heard him speak this language a couple times, usually when he's on his cell phone," he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand then poised the burger just in front of his lips. "It's really weird. It sounds like Latin but also like some strange aboriginal language. Anything you know?" He asked and then took another bite.

Benny frowned, considering. "Nothing I can think of, but I can ask Andrea. She knows more languages than I do. Have you asked him?"

Dean shook his head. "He's just so weird, it's hard to talk to him."

"That wouldn't be because every time you look at him you're picturing him on his knees undoing your pants, would it?"

"I'm so glad I tell you these things."

"If it would make you feel better I could tell you about what Andrea did to me that night after your party."

"Noooo thank you!"

Benny ran a fry through the grease coming off his burger, "Hey, sharing is caring, brother." He popped the fry in his mouth and shot Dean a shit-eating grin.

Just then the waitress showed up with Benny's beer and for the rest of the meal they managed to avoid the topic of the weird doctor.

He got back to the clinic a little over an hour later, with only one beer under his belt. He figured he'd crank some tunes and just pound out the charts.

Dean frowned as he pulled up to the back of the clinic. Dr. Novak's car was parked in the driveway right at the staff entrance. Dean shrugged as he pulled into an actual parking spot. Novak was a workaholic and weird enough to block the entrance. He pulled his keys out as he went to open the door, he realized it was unlocked. This wasn't the kind of place you wanted to be alone in with the back door unlocked. There were controlled drugs on premises and it wasn't the best part of town.

As soon as he shut and locked the door behind him angry voices carried from somewhere in the building. A horrible sinking feeling settled in his stomach. He almost ran to the treatment area but when he threw open the doors the scene that met him was as far from what he was expecting as possible.

There was a tall blonde man sitting on the floor, his back propped up against one of the cupboards below pharmacy. His button up shirt was open and a good deal of his torso was covered in blood. The man's hands were doing a piss poor job of putting pressure on a gnarly looking wound on his abdomen.

"Look, I'm going to have to suture it, I can't just heal it with my-"

"Cassie, dear," the man spoke with a thick accent that sounded part British, part French and part something else completely. 

Dr. Novak turned and froze, gauze, vetwrap, suture and gloves in his hands, and just stared at Dean with a look of holy terror on his features.

There was a long moment where no one moved or even said anything. It was the bleeding man on the floor who broke the silence with a wet laugh. "Oh my gods, this is him, isn't it?!"

But before Dean could get clarification, the man cried out as a fresh stream of blood ran through his fingers. Dean's adrenaline spiked and he was pushed into emergency mode. He quickly grabbed a towel from underneath the wet table and dropped to his knees, pressing the white cloth to the wound. It quickly soaked red. 

The man groaned, his face skewed up in pain.

"Did you give him anything?" Dean asked, looking up to see that Dr. Novak hadn't so much as moved. He just shook his head. "Go unlock the safe and get morphine."

Novak nodded and set the supplies on the counter and disappeared into the doctors' office. Dean grabbed the man's hands and placed them over the towel. "Keep pressure on this."

The man nodded.

Dean got up and went to the surgery suite, grabbing the instrument tray and a surgery pack. He brought them back to the man and started to prep for the surgery.

"Grab the lidocaine too," Dean directed when the doctor was back in pharmacy with the safe key. Dean grabbed a handful more towels and after laying one out flat he dropped two more, still folded at the top. "Ok, you gotta help me. You need to lie down." He helped the man over to the towel and laid him down.

Dr. Novak sank down next to Dean and put all of the supplies in a pile. "Dosing?" He questioned holding the bottle of morphine and a syringe.

"Big dog."

The man leaned over to the surgery pack and laughed. "Big dog? Spay pack? What are you trying to say."

Dean pushed his head back down onto the towels. "That you're his bitch, so shut up and let the man work."

Dean grabbed the tourniquet and put it around the man's upper arm and pulled it tight. "Have you ever done an IV injection on a person before?"

Dr. Novak barely shook his head as he sprayed the alcohol on the most prominent vein he could see, but both Dean and the man caught the movement.

"Oh that instills a lot of confidence."

Novak curled his lip and jammed the needle into his arm far harder than he should have and was rewarded with another cry. "You could have gone to a hospital," he growled.

"You and I both know I couldn't have done that."

Dr. Novak didn't comment but Dean did catch his sidelong glance. He didn't comment either.

It didn't take long for the drug to take effect and they were rewarded with the man's complete inability to keep his mouth shut and his hands to himself.

"Look at those freckles," the man said brushing his fingers across Dean's nose.

"Ok," Dean said pulling his hands away from him and holding them down. "You need to hold still."

"You were right, Cassie," he slurred. "They are very cute."

That got Dean's attention.

"His words, not mine."

Dr. Novak was talking about him to this guy? And he said he was cute? Dean looked down at Dr. Novak who was busy injecting lidocaine in the flesh around the wound. He didn't look up at Dean but it didn't matter, he could see the blush spreading across his face.

"He also said your eyes were beautiful. And had an ass you could bounce a quarter off."

Novak looked up at that and caught Dean's eye, his face now crimson.

"Ok, I added that part," the man laughed. "Ow!" He cried when the needle on the suture went into his skin.

"What else did he tell you about me?" Dean asked, not because he wanted to know, but because he needed to keep the guy occupied. Yeah.

"Um, he said you were good at your job, he respected you, bla, bla, bla. Oh and he told me about the night he got drunk at your house." He waggled his eyebrows and it was Dean's turn to blush. He did not look up to see if Novak was looking at him. "Not the whole enchilada but spank bank material for sure."

Dean would be lying if he said he hadn't used the memory of that night as 'spank' material.

Then he went off talking about someone named Gabriel who was either a stoner who worked at a candy shop or the Gabriel who told Mary she was going to mother the son of God. Dean chuckled, this guy was toasted.

"Ok," Dr. Novak said quietly. "I'm done."

The man looked down at his stomach and the sutured up wound. "Not bad, Cassie. Not bad at all."

And Dean had to agree with the man. The site looked just as good as all of Dr. Novak's patients did. The man was good. "Why don't you get him ... Somewhere ... Not here. I'll clean up everything."

Novak grabbed Dean's hands as he was starting to clean up the wrappers.

"Are you sure?" Novak asked, making sure to hold Dean's gaze.

"I'm sure."

With a little help from Dean, they were able to get the stoned man loaded up into Novak's car and they were gone, leaving Dean with the clean up, cover up, and oh yeah, he still had all those stupid charts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the [hedgehog in the induction mask](http://brittlipy.tumblr.com/image/114332724031) if you were interested ;)
> 
> Also, a photo of the ["Weimaraner/Dalmatian mix" aka, purebred freaking Great Dane](http://brittlipy.tumblr.com/image/109304674936) ... people kill me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made it to the E rating. If guy on guy action isn't your thing ... WHY THE HELL ARE YOU READING THIS?! You knew what this was coming into it.

Dean looked up from his drug order on the computer when someone walked into the front of the clinic. Through the window that separated the office from the lobby, Dean instantly recognized the man who sauntered up to the reception desk. Dean frantically looked around him to tell someone that it was him, that was the guy Dr. Novak sutured up the other night, but he was alone in the office. Also, he hadn't actually told anyone about that incident so it would have been a moot point anyway.

Dean watched him from the window in the office, trying to keep hidden, as the man talked, flirted? with Becky. Good grief this guy was a piece of work. He reached over the reception desk and touched Becky's hand. That strange big brother feeling that he had for all the girls he worked with flared and he suddenly felt the need to protect Becky.

Dean left the office, shutting the door loudly. Becky jumped at the sound, pulling her hand back and blushing furiously. The man just smiled lazily and turned his attention to Dean.

"Can I help you?" Dean asked roughly.

"I just wanted to stop by and see if I couldn't take my dear friend Dr. Novak out to lunch."

"Balthazar." Both Dean and Becky turned toward Dr. Novak's voice. It sounded like barely contained fury.

Balthazar? Dean turned back to the man. This was Balthazar? This was the guy who kept calling _his_ doctor? _His_ doctor? Seriously, Dean? Then he turned back to Dr. Novak who was obviously less than thrilled at the other man's presence.

"Cassie, dear. As I was just telling your lovely secretary here, I was hoping I could steal you for an hour or so for some lunch."

Dean couldn't help but curl his lip at the secretary comment. He wasn't sure if the man meant Becky or Dean, but either way it was a slight.

Dr. Novak stood still, not speaking for a moment, then his eyes flicked to Dean's and he sighed.

"I'll meet you out back in five minutes."

"Oh, Cassie, you're not going to give me a tour of your new clinic?"

"No," Novak snapped and turned back toward his office disappearing.

Balthazar smiled but Dean could tell it was forced just a touch. "Then I suppose I'll have to wait out back." He turned to Becky and gave her an over dramatic bow. "It was lovely to meet you, my dear." And then he was out the front door.

"Well that was awkward," Becky said.

Dean didn't say anything, just made his way back to the office. Dr. Novak had his back to Dean sitting at his computer, but it was obvious he was stressed by the way he held his shoulders. Dean had an unexplainable urge to press his fingers into the taut muscles.  
Which was stupid. He had brought this shit, whatever it was, on himself. If Dean was worried about anything it was the clinic and whatever the doctor could bring down on it. The doctor was just going to have to deal with his own shit, and Dean was more than prepared to tell him just that when Dr. Novak turned in his chair to look Dean full on.

The words died in Dean's throat.

"I have to deal with this," the doctor said as if he was reading Dean's mind. "Will you make sure the surgery charts are complete and ready for my review before appointments start this afternoon?"

"Yeah," Dean agreed nodding. "Of course."

He stood and Dean was embarrassed to admit how intently he was watching Novak as he took his doctor's coat off and replaced it with a dark jacket.

So after the doctor left, it was purely coincidence that Dean decided to take the surgery garbage out to the dumpster behind the building.

"What are you doing here?" Castiel's voice growled from just around the side of the building.

Dean froze, the lid to the dumpster held open.

"Castiel," the name was hissed by that man, Balthazar. "I can only keep them at bay for so long. Eventually they're going to realize I'm leading them away from you."

"I'm done running," Dr. Novak growled and the danger of his tone sent a shiver down Dean's spine. "Let them come. I have done nothing wrong."

"You are going against everything you were ordered to do."

"I was excommunicated, Balthazar. I think that officially absolved me of any orders I was once given."

The plastic top to the dumpster slipped out of Dean’s hand and slammed down on the metal container. It was empty and the sound echoed. Dr. Novak's head popped around the corner of the building. His face was blank but he met and didn't break eye contact with Dean. So Dean stared right back at him, lifted the lid again and threw the garbage away. He let it drop again, even louder this time and then walked back into the clinic without a word. 

***

It was the last place Dean wanted to be, locked in radiology with Dr. Novak with no buffer other than the severely stoned shepherd mix. But he literally had no choice. 

He lifted the dog onto the table as Novak adjusted the KvP and placed the film case in the bucky. Once the doctor rounded the table and put on the lead gloves, he held the dog so Dean could do the same. Then together they got her on her back and lined her chest in the crosshairs.

"Don't forget to roll her legs in," Novak instructed.

Dean felt his face go hot and it had nothing to do with the lead vest and cuffs he was wearing. "I know how to shoot shoulders," he snapped.

Dean rolled the shoulders, just like he was already going to even without the reminder, and compressed the foot pedal, taking the picture.

"And then I'm going to want a lateral."

"I know," he snapped again, letting go of the dog and she sort of melted to the side. He took off his gloves and threw them on the table harder than he should have. He pulled the case from the bucky and set it on the floor up against the processor. He grabbed the second large film case and placed it. This time he adjusted the settings for the different view and put the gloves back on. He arranged her front legs so both shoulders would be seen and took the second shot.

The doctor took his gloves off and then laid a hand on the groggy dog. Dean took off his gloves and removed the second case and laid it up against the first.

He flipped off the overhead light and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim red lamp by the processor. He worked quickly, taking the films out by touch, running them through the processor and then replacing them with new films.

"Thank you, Dean," Dr. Novak said quietly. "For the other night."

This, this right here was why he didn't want to be stuck in this room with him. They had almost made it the entire week. And Dean would have been perfectly happy ignoring what had happened, but nooooo, that would apparently be asking for too much.

"You put me in a really bad spot," Dean said, leaning against the processor, his fingers waiting for the first film to emerge.

"I know I did. And I'm very sorry for that."

Dean turned his head in the direction he knew the doctor was but he couldn't see anything beyond about a foot and a half in front of him, but he knew Novak could see him that close to the red lamp.

"Not to push my luck," the doctor's voice came from the darkness. "But you are a very loyal employee. Why didn't you go directly to Dr. Harvelle? What I did, that was malpractice."

Why didn't he? Dean sucked in a long breath through his nose and released it noisily through his clenched teeth. Not only did he not tell Dr. Harvelle that her precious new associate had practiced medicine on a person, and judging by the cloak and dagger, a person with a dubious background, and stole supplies and drugs, but Dean had lied for him. Covered his tracks by creating a completely fictitious hit by car and falsified the control drug log. Not only could he get fired and possibly lose his license, but you just didn't fuck with the DEA. And now his name was all over those records.

Yes, she was out of town, but it would have been so easy to just call her. So, his subconscious would ask again, why didn't he go to Ellen?

Because Dean liked him. He liked this stupid Dr. Castiel Novak. He liked how he treated the animals, how he was terrible with the owners, but somehow endeared himself to them, how he was with children. How he kissed him that night of Sam's party, and he'd be damned if he didn't want to do it again. And allow the doctor to try that whole blow job thing again.

And he was ashamed to admit that the incident was a strange turn on. The man wasn't perfect, he had secrets and now Dean was a part of those secrets. 

And fuck!

"Dean?" And Novak was right in front of him, between him and the xray machine.

"It's because I like you, ok?" He practically barked at him, and felt instantly stupid for it.

Novak took a step forward and Dean still couldn't see him, but he felt his lead vest press up against his own.

"I like you too," Novak said the words into the dark and they were deep and gravely and sexy as hell.

Dean reached out and quickly found the man's shoulders in front of him and pushed him back until he hit the edge of the table, and then he took one more step pressing his body against Novak's. His hands came up to Dean's hips but he could only feel a small change in pressure on the vest. Dean growled. Their bodies were covered by the stupid lead vests and he wanted that contact that he was being denied. Their arms, lower legs and faces were the only parts of their bodies not covered by the protective garments.

That included his mouth. So he was going to use it. It was awkward, not really being able to angle his head with the thyroid protector around his neck, but he managed, pressing his lips against the other man's. Dean's hands moved up to his head and dug his fingers into his hair. Novak made a noise that sounded an awful lot like relief and Dean hummed his response, licking the seam of his doctor's mouth.

Novak allowed him the access he was wanting and Dean didn't even hesitate, thrusting his tongue into his mouth. He tasted like coffee and hazelnut creamer and something darker, richer, more Cas. This was so much better sober.

A knock on the door made both men freeze, but they stayed pressed together, mouths still open and lips touching.

"God dammit," Cas breathed into Dean's mouth.

"Dr. Novak," it was Jo's voice, muffled through the door. "I've got your next room."

"We will be out in just a moment," Dr. Novak almost yelled so he could be heard through the door, then crushed his lips against Dean's again, this time thrusting his own tongue into Dean's mouth, taking charge of the kiss.

All too soon the doctor pulled away. "This," he panted, taking just a moment to nip at Dean's lower lip for emphasis. "This needs to happen again. Soon. And more."

"Much more," Dean agreed. They were then pulling away from each other, Dean flipping the overhead light on. It was harsh, but totally worth seeing the wrecked look on the doctor's face, lips swollen and checks tinted pink. Hair even more of a mess than it usually was.

"Finish processing the films," Novak directed and started removing the lead protective gear. "You can put her away," he said pointing to the dog who laid limp on the table. "I'll look at them when I'm done with my room." He opened the door and Dean refused to meet Jo's gaze who was standing right outside the door. But before he left, Dr. Novak said, "That conversation is not over. We will be continuing it later."

Those words went straight to his groin. He was suddenly glad he could wear the lead vest a bit longer without any question.

Dean hauled the dead weight of the dog back to ICU and cleaned the room up before he was confident in taking off the protective gear. He just needed to keep himself from thinking about what had happened and how Dr. Novak had tasted and the sounds he made and how his teeth felt on his bottom lip and how his stubble scratched his face and this, this is exactly what he wasn't supposed to be doing!

He turned his attention back to the films up on the light board. They were beautiful if he said so himself. The positioning was perfect and the detail was excellent. It did look like there was a fair amount of arthritis in the right shoulder and elbow, and possibly something in the soft tissue but he couldn't tell. There was a reason he wasn't a doctor.

"Hey Dean?" Becky's voice drifted into radiology.

"Yeah?" He yelled back.

"Jo and Dr. Novak are going long in their last room, would you mind teching the next one? They got here early so they've been here for almost a half hour."

Dean left the films hanging but flipped the light board off.

"Yeah sure," he said heading into Treatment.

"Thanks," Becky said handing him the chart.

Dean had always had a soft spot for kids, especially young boys. And yes, he knew how weird that sounded, but in reality it wasn't creepy at all. Seriously. They reminded him of Sammy when he was younger. And that same intrinsic drive that always pushed him to take care of his younger brother also drove the fondness he had for other young boys. 

That day there were three siblings in the exam room, two boys and a girl. They had to have been around the same age, he'd say no more than a year apart. They all stood just above the height of the exam table, bright eyes filled with worry for Max, their black and white cat.

He quickly got the history, outdoor intact male with what the owner was concerned was a tumor on the side of his face. Of course one look and it was fairly obvious it was from a cat fight, but he kept that to himself. Dean went over the importance of neutering him once he was healthy and went over basic vaccine and well care information. 

Dr. Novak was out of his last room by the time Dean was back in Treatment collecting the exam supplies.

"Two year old, intact male, outdoor cat with a swollen face," Dean told the doctor.

"Abscess?" Novak asked.

"That's what it looks like."

"Well, let's go see."

Dr. Novak took a quick look at the cat and agreed with Dean's diagnosis. And just like before, the doctor completely ignored the owner and spoke directly to his children.

"Because their teeth are so sharp," Dr. Novak explained, kneeling so he was eye level with the kids, "cats only leave a small puncture wound that heals quickly and all that bacteria from their mouths gets stuck underneath the skin. Then their bodies send white blood cells to fight the bacteria but because the wound heals so quickly, there's no place for all that fluid to go, so it creates what we call an abscess."

Dean was standing against the exam table with his hand on the cat gently petting him, trying to avoid the lump the size of a softball on his face. He knew he most likely had a stupid grin on his face. He couldn't help it, the doc, who Dean already found irresistible, endeared himself just that much more because despite being one of the most socially awkward human beings, he really was brilliant with kids. He never talked down to them, or dumbed what he was saying, but he still managed to explain things in a way they could understand.

"So we are going to put Max under anesthesia and lance the abscess so all of that fluid can drain and then give him antibiotics to help fight the bacteria."

None of the kids said a word, but they all nodded as he stood back up next to Dean.

"But first we are going to get his temperature to see if he has a fever."

Dean could almost guarantee with an abscess like this that he was rocking a pretty gnarly fever, but it needed to be done. So as the doctor placed the probe cover on the thermometer Dean moved his hands to the cat's jaw to restrain and then it happened.

The cat freaked out and began doing circles with his head and then spun into a crocodile roll, the side of his face smacking on the table. Dean actually heard the abscess pop and then bloody purulent fluid exploded across the room and all over Dean, Dr. Novak, the owner and his three kids. Everyone in the room froze, except for Max who jumped from Dean's hands to sit in the sink and groom himself indignantly.

The smell was rancid and there was a litany of, "don'tbarfdon'tbarfdon'tbarf," that sounded remarkably like Sam's voice repeating over and over in Dean's head. Dr. Novak looked a little green as well and was just frozen in place.

"Ok!" Dean said with a forced cheer. "We are going to take Max back to treatment and get him taken care of, and you guys should go get cleaned up."

Dean didn't even wait for anyone to respond, he just picked up the cat and left the room.

"Oh dear lord you stink!" Jo said wrinkling her nose as Dean joined her in ICU. "What happened?" She asked getting a good look at the cat’s face.

"The cat exploded," Dr. Novak supplied, suddenly behind Dean, his voice a dangerous unamused growl.

"Ugh, you stink too!" Jo waved her hands, motioning them both out of the room. "Go get cleaned up. I'm not working with either of you smelling like that."

Dean could see the irritation in the subtle changes in the doctor's eyebrows. "Room one needs to be cleaned. Thoroughly. And I want it done by the time we are back."

"Seriously?"

Dean shot her an evil grin and followed Dr. Novak.

"Do you have an extra pair of scrubs I may borrow?"

"Yeah." Luckily Dean always kept a couple pairs in his locker for exactly this reason. He also kept an old pair of sneakers in the trunk of his car ever since that one time a cat peed on his shoes and he had to go around the rest of the day smelling like cat piss.

He handed Dr. Novak the nicely folded pair at the bottom of his locker and took the more wrinkled rolled up pair that was just tossed in for himself.

Dean took the client bathroom while the doctor changed in the staff bathroom. Even with the change of clothes he still smelled rotten. He'd go to the dog bath in the boarding area and wash his chest and neck off.

When he came back into treatment he froze. Dr. Novak was standing in the middle of the room with a disgusted look on his face. Dean had never seen him in scrubs before. Yes, they were a little too big for him, although not as big as they would have been if they were Sam's, but they still fit him pretty damn well.

"It's in my hair."

"See just one more reason why we should have a shower here. I'm going to use the dog tub if you'd like to join me." Dean ignored how close that was to asking the doctor if he'd shower with him.

Dean took his scrub top off once the door to the run boarding was shut behind the two of them. Dr. Novak followed in suit, taking his top off and throwing it on the top of the washing machine across from the bathing tub and Dean's brain simply stopped working.  
Starting just above the small of his back and extending to his shoulders and then tapering down his arms were beautiful black wings. The tattoo was incredibly detailed and once he regained his motor skills, Dean was going to have to ask who his artist was. The wings moved as the lythe muscle flexed across his back. If Dean thought he was good looking with his clothes on, he was drop dead gorgeous without his shirt off. He had a runner's body, next to no fat on him but not super muscular. Dean's hands itched to touch.

Completely unaware of Dean's probably creepy stare, Novak turned on the water and twisting the nozzle at an odd angle he attempted to wet his hair.

"Dude, you're getting water everywhere," Dean said taking the nozzle. "Just lean forward."

Novak took a deep breath before forcing his shoulders to relax. He gripped the side of the tub and leaned forward, letting his head drop. Dean then realized just how vulnerable the other man was at that moment. And he wasn't going to take advantage of it. He wasn't.

He first changed the water temperature so it wasn't freezing cold, and wetted his hair. The shampoo, which despite being pet shampoo, actually smelled pretty good, not too frilly and let's face it, beggars can't be choosers.

He poured a small amount into the palm of his hand and lathered up before putting his fingers into the doctor's hair. It was the attempted muffle of a groan that had Dean's blood pumping. He drug his fingers through the other man's hair and scraped his blunt nails over his scalp and both of their breathing increased.

Dean stood closer to the doctor than he needed to rinse his hair, practically leaning over top of him, his chest pressed up against Novak's bare back. Dean shut the water off as soon as he was done rinsing the shampoo out, but he didn't move. Instead he nuzzled into the back of his neck, breathing in his scent that was now a little off with the dog shampoo. But he still smelled like him.

He was getting hard and he couldn't help thrusting his hips just a bit into the side of Novak's ass.

"Dean," he growled and fuck if it wasn't on right now!

Dean pulled away from him and grabbed the doctor’s shoulder, spinning him around so they were facing each other. Water flung from his hair and Dean's hands were in that wet hair, and he was crushing his lips to Novak's. Without breaking the kiss, Dean shoved the doctor backwards until they hit the wall. Dean pushed his leg between Novak's and was just thrilled to feel his erection, just as hard as Dean's.

"This is inappropriate," Novak panted between kisses, but he didn't even slow down.

"I know," Dean gasped, rutting his erection against Novak's thigh.

"We're going to get caught." He drug his nails down Dean's back, surely leaving marks.

"I know." Dean ran his hands down Novak's sides and without anything even remotely resembling preamble, he pulled the doctor's borrowed scrubs down over his narrow hips, just below his ass letting his dick spring free. He wanted to look, to take in every detail of the other man, but he wasn't letting Dean pull away from the kiss.

Fine. Dean wrapped his hand around him, relishing in the smooth skin that wrapped around what felt like a pretty impressive penis. Definitely thicker than himself, but about the same length. Novak all out groaned into Dean's mouth and he would have melted to the floor had Dean not shoved his knee between his legs.

It took a few slow strokes before the doctor could solidify his legs beneath him, but as soon as he did, he was pulling Dean's scrubs down in the same manner. Dean hissed as Novak's hand wrapped around his rock hard dick. Jesus.

The kiss finally faltered, and they ended up just panting into each other's open mouths. Their strokes fell into a steady rhythm. They mirrored each other, when one twisted so did the other. It was Dr. Novak whose breath caught first, and suddenly they both increased their speed, now thrusting their hips into the other's pumping hand, chasing the approaching finish line.

It was the doctor who froze first letting out a strangled little cry and then shooting warm white spurts into Dean's still pumping hand. Dean worked him through his orgasm, moving his mouth to the doctor's shoulder and sucking a deep mark into his skin.

Almost as soon as the muscles in his upper body relaxed, Novak batted Dean's hands off his now too sensitive dick, and returned to Dean's still pleading erection. Dean slapped his soiled hand against the cinder block wall above Novak's head and it made a wet noise.

Dean said something he was pretty sure wasn't English, or any other language for that matter, as the other man finally made it back to the almost frenzied pace, Dean thrusting into the O of his hand.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," he gasped and his entire body went rigid, pretty little lights shooting behind his close eyes. His balls pulled right up against his body and he was coming all over Dr. Castiel Novak's hand and stomach. "Fuuuuck," Dean breathed out long and hard, and then all but collapsed against the warm body he was pinning against the wall.

They both just stood there, legs shaking, trying to catch their breath.

"That was good," Dean said, finally pushing away from Novak.

"Mmmm," was all Novak managed to respond.

"Ha!" Dean exclaimed taking stalk of the mess on both of their bodies. "Managed to keep both of our scrub pants clean."

Dr. Novak laughed and Dean shot him a smile that was so big it actually hurt his cheeks. Dean hobbled over to the tub making sure his pants didn't fall any further down than they already were. And quickly cleaned himself. Dr. Novak did the same and they were tucking themselves back into their pants and replacing their scrub tops.

"Is it time for a nap?" Novak questioned with a lopsided grin.

"Right?! I wish. We still have to send off those xrays, finish the abscess cat, and you have two more rooms. This little escapade has already put us behind. Not that I'm complaining," Dean said holding his hands up defensively. "Totally worth it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I'm so sorry this was such a short chapter. I am having trouble writing this one scene, and instead of holding up the story posting for that one scene, I've cut this chapter into two. I promise I will work through my shit and get the second half of this chapter up soon.
> 
> A word from Kelly42fox - B has this horrible habit of writing things out of order. She leaves gaping holes in her stories that A) I need to write or B) Use extreme measures of coercion for her to complete.
> 
> I'll threaten her with mustard if I have to.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think and visit us on tumblr!  
> <http://kelly42fox.tumblr.com>  
> <http://brittlipy.tumblr.com>


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